Project Management
Project Management Project management is a discipline of allocating resources to accomplish a set of goals. Project management consists of the following sub-catagories: *Time management *Personal management *Money management *Information management Time Management In order to practice good time management one must create a project schedule that is realistic in its expectations while remaining ambitious. Milestones are an effective tool for tracking the progress of your project, they allow team members as well as clients to know what has been accomplished and what is next. Personal Management In order to best manage resources, especially time, appointing what each group member contributes to the project is critical. To best manage group members, assigning particular tasks based on the milestones facilitates the completion of the goal. It also allows for the group to more evenly distribute the amount of work. Additionally the task can also be assigned based on which best fits a member's skill set. Managing people is what ties together allocating the other resources. Money Management All projects have a budget, before beginning your design you should make sure that the client has realistic expectations for your budget. Putting together a thorough and well researched budget at the outset of your project will help both you, and your client, in understanding the amount of money involved and what, if any, flexibility you have in purchasing needed materials. If your sponsor has a very tight budget and is worried about cost overruns this step is cruicial in building a positive relationship with them. It shows that your respect the money they are putting into your project and your thrift may pay off in a job offer at the end of the term (if your project turns out well and is under budget). For people chasing the almighty dollar saving a few bucks on any facet of a repeated operation can mean millions in savings down the road. Information Management Electronic documentation is important to keep a record of group progress. Documents should be brief and highlight the most important points of the project. Do not reach the extremes; too much information can be detrimental and too little information is not useful. Knowledge Management Knowledge management is any process which incorporates the desire to expand our range of inquiry with the need to simplify our decisions, options or actions. When “I don’t know” is the best answer: A Case Study By: Luke Walden As I transition from a university lifestyle to a full fledged career, I have realized a lot about myself and other people. One of these realizations is that I don’t know everything and neither does anyone else. This simple fact has helped me in numerous situations. For example, during an internship this summer, my boss asked me if I could label individual welds on assembly drawings. I said “I don’t know how to label welds. I’ve never had to do it before.” My boss then explained how to call out and label welds using several techniques. I listened carefully and was then able to finish the drawings. That simple answer, I don’t know, opened doors for me. It told my boss that I was honest about my capabilities and had a sense of humility. Also, after he explained the labeling procedure, he knew my willingness to learn and desire to detail drawings correctly. My internship was very successful and I learned an incredible amount simply by admitting that I didn’t know. The same advantages hold true for job interview, presentations, and countless other applications. If you are asked a question you can’t answer, admit you don’t know the answer. Nothing good can come from trying to make up an answer or excuse on the spot. Bottom line: When you simply don’t know an answer or how to do something, say it! Category:ME 416 Help Category:Academic Tips